Mapping the Exposome: Science Broadens Focus to Environmental Disease Triggers

Key TakeawaysUp to 90% of disease incidence is thought to be influenced by environmental, biological and social exposures, not genes aloneExposomics aims to map and study all lifetime exposures as a complement to the human genomeNew technologies, including wearable devices and AI data analysis, are helping to drive the field.SATURDAY, Nov. 29, 2025 (HealthDay News) — After decades of intense focus on genetics, the biomedical research community is undergoing a major shift, focusing on a new framework called "exposomics."Similar to the way scientists work to map the human genome, this emerging field aims to map the chemical, physical, social and biological elements a person encounters throughout their life. Experts estimate that genetic mutations account for only about 10% of diseases like Parkinson’s for example. The remaining 90% are thought to be caused by environmental factors, prompting scientists to look beyond genes, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported.Some examples of exposomic data include light and temperature, biomarkers in the blood or other body fluids, dietary intake, environmental chemicals, physical activity, income and education.The ultimate goal? To turn this big bucket of individual knowledge points into practical, personalized health solutions. Researchers envision a future where a person's "exposomic profile" is included in their electronic medical records, according to the AAMC.Gary Miller, vice dean for research strategy and innovation at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, who helped coin the term two decades ago, says the field is now gaining momentum. Last year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported this effort by announcing a $7.7 million grant for the creation of the Network for Exposomics in the United States (NEXUS), a national coordinating center.Exposomics is an enormous undertaking because it requires researchers from various disciplines — including genetics, environmental science and data science — to work together. The goal is to move beyond simply identifying a single cause of disease and instead capture the entire picture of a person’s unique lifetime of exposures.Driving this surge are new technologies that can handle the sheer volume of data involved to map all of the possible exposures. Tools include:Geospatial data: Satellite images and social determinants of health data help to measure location-specific exposures like air pollution and water quality.Mass spectrometry: Advanced chemical analysis helps to detect thousands of markers in biological samples like blood and urine.Wearable devices: Devices, such as the "exposometer" developed at Stanford Medicine in California, can collect chemical and biological samples directly from the wearer.Chirag Patel, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and co-leader of NEXUS, explained that his lab uses computational models and artifical intelligence to systematically sort through huge amounts of data. “We’re moving away from looking at causes for disease in a targeted fashion... and moving toward what are non-targeted mass spectrometry approaches,” Patel told AAMC.Rima Habre, also co-leader of NEXUS and associate professor of environmental health and spatial sciences at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, believes exposomics can help physicians move beyond educated guesswork. She says it's more "discovery-based." It allows researchers to scan everything and follow it up with hypothesis testing.As Miller notes, this new health assessment paradigm requires both sides of the coin: “The genomics and exposomics. They complement each other.”More informationThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides details on the NEXUS grant and environmental health research initiatives.SOURCE: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Nov. 12, 2025.What This Means For YouHealth risks are heavily influenced by where you live, work and eat; personalized medical advice may someday include detailed analysis of your specific environmental exposures..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter